ZIBI MALKOWSKI TURNS OUT TO BE POLISH FOR PAUL ROBINSON

AT the risk of upsetting half my readers in Edinburgh, I don't mind admitting I was cheering for the Jambos at Easter Road last Sunday.

Two-nil down at one stage, Hearts probably deserve praise for returning to Gorgie with a hard-earned point.

But I can't help thinking they could have grabbed an important victory by pumping a few more harmless balls towards Hibs' goalie Zibi Malkowski.

The Polish keeper had another nightmare (or a Letizi, as I believe it's now known within the goalkeeping fraternity) and I'm beginning to wonder if his name translates into English as Paul Robinson?

At the other end of the pitch, Craig Gordon once again performed a few minor miracles (what about that injury-time save from Rob Jones?).

I'm tipping the Tynecastle hero - arguably the best goalie I've seen since Motherwell legend Shuggy Sproat - to get his gloves on an SPL winner's medal at the end of the season.

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Yes, I'm well aware I predicted Premier League glory for the Jambos last season (and I still have the crumpled £50 betting slip to prove it).

But with European football undoubtedly a major distraction for Celtic and Rangers, I reckon the Old Firm's totally tedious 21-year monopoly of the league title could finally be broken.

Or do you think there's more chance of Paul McCartney and Heather Mills getting back together?

Celtic's stunning second-half display against Benfica and Rangers' return to form in Italy may suggest the SPL trophy will remain in Glasgow but I'm not so sure.

The Old Firm face a tough weekend - St Mirren are desperate to leapfrog Rangers and the country's form team, the mighty Motherwell, travel to Parkhead - and I reckon the Jambos could be set to pounce.

Who knows, perhaps Rangers' fine performance on Thursday is simply down to the fact they were nice and relaxed after accepting their SPL challenge is over for another year.

The supporters relished their European adventure and a few thousand of them left Ibrox early last Saturday to make sure they got to Livorno in plenty of time.

But even though this was a Scottish club's first competitive victory in Italy, I'm sure they won't be getting carried away by the 3-2 scoreline.

Admit it, my dearest bluenoses, how many of you had even heard of Livorno before last month's UEFA Cup draw?

I thought it was a smashing, end-to-end game and perhaps the much-maligned UEFA blazers deserve rare praise for the current league format.

One-off games are always better value than the tortuous two-leg affairs (particularly from the neutral's point of view) and anyone who disagrees is obviously too young to remember the bad old days of the Scottish League Cup.

I'm sure I still have a vague memory of Dundee United fans travelling to Douglas Park and praying that Hamilton Accies wouldn't be able to overturn their 9-0 lead from the first leg.

Anyway, there was another bonus for Paul Le Guen this week with the news that Stefan Klos is ready to regain the No.1 spot between the sticks.

But I reckon the German keeper will have to be patient.

Afiver says he won't be selected by PLG until Lionel Letizi's playing out of his skin and picking up Player of the Month awards.

PS: After a shaky start on Thursday, Letizi's fine performance was praised by Le Guen, who said: "Confidence is the most important thing for a goalkeeper."

Er, so where exactly does that leave young Allan McGregor?

Taken from the Daily Record